


Flower for your Thoughts

by WinterSkyInJuly



Series: Falling Shores [1]
Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Gen, I Made Myself Cry, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Leadership Ceremony (Warriors)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-11-19 07:26:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18132725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterSkyInJuly/pseuds/WinterSkyInJuly
Summary: Darkstar's leadership ceremony.





	Flower for your Thoughts

**Author's Note:**

> Leadership ceremony for Darkstar(My OC) This is in a different world then Walking the Wire, which can be read here--> https://archiveofourown.org/works/18130661

The scent of death hung over my mother’s frosty grey fur. Tear tracks marked my cheek fur from last night’s vigil. Crystalstar’s death had more of an impact on me then I let on. Her death was blamed on her sadness over my father’s death two moons before. I looked at my paws as another tear slipped down my muzzle. A sweet, familiar scent drifted around me as a gentle voice encouraged me on. I raised my head. _Oh, you silly cat!_ Crystalstar’s teasing voice laughed in my mind. _If only you could see past your own nose to the Clan_ you _have to lead!_ My legs trembled. Tears were streaming freely down my muzzle now. _Leadership? Do I really deserve this?_ I thought. “Darkbird? Are you okay?” A voice mewed from behind me.  A brown tabby pelt wound around me. Shock pulsed through my pelt. “B-Blossomspirit…” My voice trailed off, “I-I didn’t hear you coming.” Blossomspirit glanced at my tear-streaked face and sighed. “Darkbird, it was her time,” she mewed, “no cat could have changed that.” A sob shook my shoulders. “ _I_ could have.” _My fault! My fault!_ My mind screamed. _She’s dead because of you!_ Blossomspirit looked at me. “Are you ready?” She asked. _So soon?_ “Now? B-but I just…” I seemed at loss for words. Questions clouded my thoughts. _What if I’m not ready? What if I’m not strong enough?_

_What if I fail?_

“So, are you?” Blossomspirit mewed. _No! No! How could you forget her so quickly?_ My heart yowled. _Yes! Yes! This is what you always wanted. Don’t let grief slow you down!_ My mind said. “Darkbird,” Blossomspirit mewed gently, “we can’t stay. We have to get there before moonhigh,” Determination flooded my senses. I raised my head high despite my trembling flank. “I will continue in Crystalstar’s memory,” I mewed, “for old warriors,” my gaze traveled to the nursery, “and new ones.” _Lichentail’s kits will reach six moons any day now_ , my mind whispered, _I’ll pick their mentors, as_ leader. Pride and love filled my heart. “Whatever happens, I’ll stand by everyone in my Clan as _Leader_.”  Blossomspirit flicked her tail, “Let’s go.” She mewed.

The moon shone overhead, bathing the forest in its watery light. I shivered against the freezing wind. For what seemed like an eternity Blossomspirit and I traveled through the moonlit forest. Trees flew past us as we raced through the midnight forest. The stream of the Moonpool led us onto the stony ground.

My paws automatically slipped into the pawprints of Ancient ats long since faded from memory. The Moonpool’s dazzling appearance took me by surprise. Its surface reminded me of the glittering ranks of StarClan gathered to welcome me. _This is it,_ I thought, _I’m finally going to be leader._ “Touch your nose to the water and lap a few drops.” Blossomspirit’s voice was suddenly mysterious and commanding. I settled onto the cold stone, lapped the water, and waited for StarClan to send me sleep. Darkness closed over my head as I lost consciousness.

I no longer felt the hard rock under my paws. My eyes opened to a clearing with trees pressing onto either side of me. I scrambled to my paws. “Wha-what? I’m back home?” I whispered to myself. “Not exactly,” purred a voice, “this is our version of ThunderClan.” Leaves rustled as a grey tabby she-cat slid out into the clearing. “Dustpetal!” My eyes widened in surprise at the sight of my former mentor. “I’ve missed you so much!” Dustpetal stared unblinkingly at me, “we have a gift to give you.” She murmured. _Nine lives!_ Dozens of starlit warriors streamed from the trees around me. Dustpetal approached me and pressed her muzzle to my head. “With this life, I give you courage, use it well for everyone you know and love.” Sharp pain flooded my senses. The pain subsided and left me trembling. _That was one life… How will I bear another eight?_

Dustpetal took a step back and a black tom with a white muzzle took her place. My breath caught in my throat and my heart seemed to stop. “M-mothmuzzle?” I wanted to race towards him and bury my nose in his sweet, thick fur, but my paws were rooted to the spot. “My precious daughter,” Mothmuzzle’s eyes were gleaming with love, “I always knew this day would come. With this life I give you confidence in yourself, you must trust your Clan, but also yourself.” This life started warm and loving then, burning pain filled every hair on my pelt and blazed until I was sure I was on fire. Mothmuzzle licked my cheek, “I will watch over you forever.” With a final glance at me, he padded back to the ranks of StarClan.

A small, black tom-kit padded out and looked up at me. “Hi! I’m Mistpaw!” The small cat squeaked, “I’m here to give you a life!” Mist _paw_? This kit was hardly as tall as my chest! Realization hit me like a wall. _This_ was one of the kits forced to train before they were six moons old. _I’m so sorry!_ “Don’t be sad,” Mistpaw mewed, “I’m happy in StarClan. I’m with my mother and my father and siblings!” The black apprentice reached up and touched his muzzle to my chin. “With this life I give you understanding the weak. You once knew this, didn’t you? Remember, kits and apprentices are the future of a Clan, without them, you would be nothing.”  My mind filled with images of tiny kits mewling in the nursery for their mothers and apprentices training in the ferns. “Don’t let what happened to me _ever_ happen to any other kit.” Mistpaw’s eyes burned into mine. The kit turned around and a silver tabby she-cat flecked with stars took her place.

 “I am Silverfrost, once of RiverClan.” She mewed. She pushed her slender muzzle onto my head. “With this life, I give you hope, for nothing is stronger than the idea that somewhere life could become good.” A soothing calm washed over me. I felt like I could stand at the head of the Clan, battle any warrior, with hope alone. “Without hope, nothing would exist.”  Silverfrost’s sky blue eyes met with mine for a second before she turned away and padded back to her home in the stars.

The breeze rose, bringing with it the smell of wind and stars. A huge golden tom padded out of the cats clustered at the other side of the clearing. I stared up in awe at this majestic cat. “I am Lionstar,” he growled in a deep voice, “with this life I give you mercy, for not all battles have to end in death.” He reached over and rested his chin on my head. Agony stiffened every muscle in my body. The pain ebbed away and left me trembling. _Is it really that hard to have mercy?_ I thought. As Lionstar bounded away a familiar figure caught my eye. A black and white she-cat was making her way towards me. My eyes filled with tears as she approached me.

As I stood face to face with the cat who had been by my side since I was a kit, memory after memory filled my head. I finally seemed to find my voice, “Hollybark…? Is it really you?” I asked nervously. My sister’s body showed no sign of the pain that haunted her last moments. Her starlit eyes shone with endless wisdom. Hollybark purred. “Of course! Who else would it be?” She brushed the tears from my eyes and pushed her nose to my cheek, “Darkbird, with this life I give you love. Love your Clan as much as you love your kin.” The gentleness and satisfaction of this life was surprising. Hollybark leaned over and whispered in my ear. “My home is in the stars now. It’s okay to let go.”

A cough behind Hollybark snapped me back to attention. A pale tabby tom stepped up to me. My sister took a step back, nodding to the tom as she passed. “ _Anyway_ ,” he mewed playfully, “ _I’m_ Birchnose.” The former elder looked so sleek and strong, it took me a moment to recognize him. I wondered what life he would give me. “With this life, I give you mental awareness, always be aware that there are new things to learn.” He backed away towards the other starry cats.

A brown tortoiseshell tom with blue eyes padded up to me. “You would not recognize me,” he started in a rough voice, “whereas all my associates have joined me in StarClan.” _Who is this tom?_ I wondered, genuinely interested. “And,” he continued, “you will not learn my name until you have come here, to StarClan.” Pain and regret flashed in his eyes. “My life was riddled with mistakes, unforgivable mistakes,” he shuddered, “I would never wish the same pain I suffered or the sorrow I caused on any other cat.” He raised his head, a new fire burning in his eyes. “With this life, I give you the power to understand all, nobody is perfect, everyone has their monsters.”

I was alone. Completely and entirely alone. _No one can help me…_

_Is this what his world is like?_

I was left gasping for breath as he turned away from me. He paused. “Now that I think of it, you might know me.” I tipped my head. Stars sparkled at the edge of my vision. My eyes met with the calm green I had been most hoping to see.  I felt a tear hit the misty ground. “Darkbird, my daughter and my deputy. You have worked so hard for this.” I suddenly felt like a kit again, walking by my mother’s side. Crystalstar rested her chin on my head. “With this life,” she whispered, “I give you passion, use it well for pursuing your hopes for ThunderClan.” A slow pain spread from my tail to my ears. As it subsided I raised my head. “I hail you by your new name, Darkstar!”

“Darkstar! Darkstar!”

The misty forest blurred, replaced by the rock hollow of the Moonpool. Blossomspirit was sitting a few tail-lengths away. “Did you receive your nine lives?” She asked when I reached her. I nodded. “Well, Dark _star_ , lets head back to camp.” Blossomspirit mewed, “also, do not speak of the ritual you have just undergone. This is the will of StarClan.” After she said those words, she padded up the stony trail towards the full moon. A splash of stars broke up the blackness of the midnight sky. I looked back across the open moors of WindClan territory. _How free they must feel_ , I thought.

 _The moon shone overhead, bathing the forest in its watery light. I shivered against the freezing wind. For what seemed like an eternity Blossomspirit and I traveled through the moonlit forest._ _Trees flew past us as we raced through the midnight forest._

_This is what it is to truly be free…_

 

 


End file.
